Arrangement for fixing furniture fittings to frame profiles of plate-type or board type furniture elements

ABSTRACT

A furniture fitting including frame sections which are preferably extruded and are intended to enclose furniture parts in the form of plates or panels, wherein the flame sections have an open groove extending in the longitudinal direction receive and retain a retaining part of the fitting. The groove is narrowed by two shoulders which are parallel to one another with end faces facing one another, wherein the retaining part has a flange portion which can be supported on the free upper face of the shoulders and in which there is provided at least one bore for rotatably retaining the shank, which engages in the groove, of a clamping element which selectively fixes the retaining part on the frame section or releases it for disassembly or longitudinal displacement in the longitudinal direction of the groove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an arrangement for fixing furniture fittings onframe sections which are preferably extruded and are intended to enclosefurniture parts in the form of plates or panels, wherein the said framesections have an open groove extending in the longitudinal direction ofthe section and provided to receive and retain a retaining part of thefitting to be fixed, the internal width of the said groove beingnarrowed in the region of its opening by two shoulders which areparallel to one another with end faces facing one another, wherein theretaining part has a flange portion which can be supported on the freeupper face of the shoulders and in which there is provided at least onebore for rotatably retaining the shank, which engages in the groove, ofa clamping element which selectively fixes the retaining part on theframe section or releases it for disassembly or longitudinaldisplacement in the longitudinal direction of the groove.

Frame sections extruded from metal or also alternatively extruded fromplastics material have been used increasingly in recent years infurniture construction for enclosing furniture parts in the form ofplates or panels, for example glass door leaves, which in the past wereenclosed in wooden strips. Whereas in the case of such door leaves orflaps enclosed by a wooden frame the pivotable articulation on acupboard carcass could be achieved with the known furniture hinges, inwhich the door leaf fixing part was constructed in the usual way as aninsert cup which can be inserted into a matching recess in the rear faceof the frame, in the case of the aforementioned extruded frame sectionsthe use of normal hinges is not possible because the space available andthe material thickness of these frame sections does not allow theinstallation of the usual hinge cups.

Therefore for-fixing fitting parts and also hinges on the frame sectionsof the aforementioned type which are under consideration here fixingarrangements have been developed (DE 201 07 525 U1) in which the doorleaf fixing part of a hinge can be locked in a groove with a narrowmouth provided on the inside of the frame section, whereby a retainingpart which can be fixed by a clamping element in the groove of the frameelement can be used instead of the usual hinge cup.

The object of the invention is simplify the construction of this knownarrangement for fixing fittings, particularly hinges, on frame elements,whereby the fixing of the retaining part on the frame element and theselective disassembly or adjustment of the retaining part in thelongitudinal direction of the groove of the frame section isfunctionally improved and the security against inadvertent loosening andadjustment is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Starting from a fixing arrangement of the type mentioned in theintroduction, this object is achieved according to the invention in thatthe retaining part has in the region of the bore(s) provided by theshank of the clamping element in each case a strip-like projection whichprojects from the underside of the flange portion and has on its lowerfree end a locking tab which projects at right angles and can beinserted below the shoulders into the interior of the groove which iswidened there, whereby the distance between the underside of the flangeportion of the retaining part and the boundary surface of the lockingtab which faces it is substantially equal to the distance between theupper and lower boundary surface of the associated shoulder whichnarrows the groove; that the shank of the clamping element which isrotatably mounted in the associated bore in the flange portion of theretaining part is of such a diameter that the distance measured abovethe locking tab between the outer face of the strip-like projection andthe free outer face of the shank in the portion lying between theshoulders is substantially equal to the distance measured between theend faces of the shoulders which narrow the groove; and that in theregion lying between the end faces of the shoulders in the proper fixingposition the shank is provided with a flat area which reduces the shankdiameter in the flattened region by at least the dimension by which thelocking tab projects from the strip-like projection. By thisconfiguration the regaining part is fixed positively in the groove bymeans of the strip-like projection integrally joined to its flange withthe locking projection, whereby depending upon the rotary position theclamping element enables the insertion of the strip-like projection intothe groove and then by rotation shifts the locking projection under oneof the shoulders of the frame profile which are associated with oneanother and fixes it in this locking position. Thus the locking forceexerted by the shank of the clamping element acts exclusively parallelto the furniture part in the form of a plate or panel which is enclosedby the frame section, for example in the horizontal direction parallelto the flat sides of a pane of glass enclosed by frame sections of thetype under consideration here.

In this case it is provided that the clamping element is provided on itsouter end with a disc-shaped head portion which has an increaseddiameter relative to the diameter of the bore in the flange of theretaining part and which in the proper fixing position of the retainingpart is supported on the upper face of the flange of the retaining part.

The radius of the head portion of the clamping element is thenadvantageously reduced over a predetermined angular range in thecircumferential direction to a dimension between the radius of the shankand the maximum radius of the head portion, whereby in the region of thebore(s) receiving the shank of the respective clamping elementprojections are provided which project from the upper face of the flangeportion of the retaining part and on which the transition surfacesbetween the portions of larger and smaller radius of the disc-shapedhead portion can be brought into abutment as the clamping elementrotates. Thus in combination with the aforementioned transition surfacesthese projections form stops which define the path of rotation of theclamping element from the insertion of the retaining part into thegroove to the proper clamping position.

In the outer end face of the clamping element there is thenadvantageously provided in each case a recess which enables theapplication of a turning tool, for example a cross-slot recess, intowhich can be inserted a turning tool, in the aforementioned special casea Phillips screwdriver, with which the clamping element can be rotated.

Alternatively it may be advantageous if an integral handle—e.g. in theform of a projecting lever arm, a knurled knob, etc.—is provided on theouter free end of the clamping element instead of a recess forapplication of a tool. The rotation of the clamping element and thus thelocking of the fitting part in the frame section can then be carried outmanually without a tool.

In order to prevent the clamping element which is mounted in theappertaining bore in the retaining part from coming out of the boreinadvertently in the unfixed loose rotary position and then being lost,in a further development of the invention it is provided that in theregion of the end of the shank of the clamping element which in theproper fixing position lies within the groove of the frame section a lowprojection is provided which projects radially from the circumferentialsurface of the shank and with which is associated a curved low recess inthe boundary wall of the strip-shaped projection of the retaining partfacing the shank. In this case this projection is advantageouslyprovided in the region of the circumferential surface of the clampingelement lying diametrically opposite the flat area of the shank, sincein the rotated position of the clamping element it lies in the curvedrecess when the flat area of the shank is rotated into the positionwhich enables the insertion into the groove of the frame section. Thusthe clamping element is then secured against coming out of the bore.

When the fitting to be fixed on the frame section is a furniture hinge,then the configuration is such that a pair of walls which are spacedfrom one another projects at right angles from the upper face of theflange portion of the retaining part lying opposite the strip-likeprojection, and between these walls the wing-like end of at least onelinkage part of the furniture hinge is in each case pivotably mounted ona bearing lug retained in bores in the walls.

In this case a configuration can be realized in which the ends on thedoor leaf side of two hinge linkages or arms of a multi-linkage hingeare pivotably mounted between the walls of the retaining part, the otherends thereof being in each case articulated on a hinge arm which can befixed on the supporting wall of the carcass of a piece of furniture.

In an advantageous further development of the invention a projection canbe provided in each case spaced above the flange portion on the wallsprojecting from the flange, whereby the said projection can be insertedinto a groove or recess in the frame section which has a shapecorresponding to the cross-section of the projection. In the properfixing position of the retaining part the projections provided on thewalls then effect an additional locking of the retaining part in thegroove of the frame section.

The invention is explained in greater detail in the followingdescription of an embodiment in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through a four-linkage hinge fixed on aframe section forming the enclosure for a glass door leaf, in which ofthe carcass fixing part of the said hinge constructed as an elongatebracket only the end region on the door leaf side is shown, the sectionline being placed at right angles to the longitudinal extent of theframe section and centrally through a bore provided in the flangeportion of the retaining part and receiving the clamping element forfixing the retaining part on the frame section;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a portion of the frame section usedin FIG. 1 to enclose the glass door leaf;

FIG. 3 shows a view corresponding to the section line in FIG. 1 throughthe frame section placed on the edge of the glass door leaf and theappertaining retaining part with the inserted clamping element in araised position of the retaining part which is not yet inserted into thegroove of the frame section;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the retaining part without inserted clampingelement(s);

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the retaining part viewed in the directionof the arrow 5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a view of the retaining part from below;

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the clamping element which fixes theretaining part in the groove of the frame section;

FIG. 8 shows a view of the clamping element, viewed in the direction ofthe arrow 8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the clamping element, viewed in thedirection of the arrow 9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a view of the clamping element from below, viewed in thedirection of the arrow 10 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 shows a plan view of the corner region of a glass door leafenclosed by the frame section, in which two frame sections meeting atright angles are connected by a fitting constructed as a cornerconnection; and

FIG. 12 shows a sectional view viewed in the direction of the arrows12-12 in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows the front end region of the side or carcass wall 10 of acupboard carcass, of which the open front face can be closed by a doorleaf 12 formed by a pane of glass 14 enclosed by a frame. The framewhich encloses the pane of glass 12 is formed from extruded metal, e.g.a suitable aluminum alloy, or by extruded frame sections 16 made fromplastics material.

A portion of the frame section 16 forming the frame of the door leaf 12is shown in perspective view in FIG. 2.

It can be seen that this frame section 16 basically has thecross-section of an angle section with two angle arms extending at rightangles to one another, and in the arm which is shown as horizontal areceptacle 18 is provided which receives the edge region of the pane ofglass 14 of the door leaf 12.

Next an open groove is formed in this arm, the opening region of thisgroove being narrowed in its internal width by two shoulders 22 a, 22 bwhich are parallel to one another and have end faces 24 a, 24 b facingone another.

The shoulder 22 b projects from the inner face of the vertical arm ofthe frame section 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The door leaf 12 is fixed on the carcass wall 10 by way of hinges 26, ofwhich only one hinge constructed as a four-linkage hinge is shown inFIG. 1. The supporting wall fixing part of this hinge is constructed inthe usual way as an elongate bracket 28 which is fixed adjustably on amounting plate 30 fixed on the inner face of the carcass wall 10. By wayof two hinge linkages 32, 34 pivotably articulated on the front end ofthe bracket 28, the bracket 28 is pivotably connected to a door leaffixing part—denoted henceforth as a retaining part 36—which therefore inpractice replaces the hinge cup which is provided in the known hingesand can be countersunk into a recess in the rear face of a door leaf.

The retaining part 36 which is illustrated separately in FIGS. 4 to 6has a substantially planar flange portion 38 which can be placed on theinner face of the frame section 16 in the region of the groove 20. Astrip-like projection 40, which has a locking tab 42 projecting at rightangles on its lower free end, projects in each case from the undersideof the flange portion 38. The projection 40 with the locking tab 42 canbe introduced through the open upper face of the groove 20 of the framesection, whereby the flange portion 38 then rests on the side faces ofthe shoulders 22 a, 22 b which point upwards in the drawings. Boreswhich are spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction and inwhich the shank 46 of a clamping element 48 (FIGS. 7 to 10) is rotatablymounted are provided in the outer end region of the flange portion 38.It can be seen that the clear distance between the underside of theflange portion 38 and the upper boundary surface of the locking tab 42is chosen to correspond to the width of the end face 24 b of theshoulder 22 b, so that after the flange portion 38 rests on the innerface of the horizontal arm of the frame section 16 the retaining partinserted into the groove. 20 can then be pushed to the right in thedirection of the arrow a in FIG. 1 in such a way that the locking tab 42engages below the shoulder 22 b. The clamping element 48 rotatablymounted in the bores 44 is provided in order to fix the retaining part36 in this locking position, the shank 46 being provided with a flatarea 50 for this purpose. FIG. 3 shows the rotated position forinsertion of the clamping element in which the flat area 50 is in aposition where it points to the end face 24 a of the shoulder 22 a. Itcan be seen that the width of the groove 22 in the narrowed openingregion is adapted to the dimension measured over the outwardly directedend face of the locking tab and the circumference of the shank 46 of theclamping element 48 so that the parts projecting from the underside ofthe flange portion 38 of the retaining part can be introduced preciselyinto the groove. With a subsequent rotation of the clamping element 48the position of the flat area changes accordingly and the cylindricalouter circumferential surface of the shank 46 comes to rest on the endface 24 a of the shoulder 22 a. In this way the retaining part 36 as abore is moved into the locking position shown in FIG. 1 and fixed inthis position. In order to release the retaining part it is thennecessary to rotate the clamping element 48 back in such a way that theflat area 50 on the shank 46 again points to the end face 24 a of theshoulder 22 a.

The clamping element 48 is provided on its outer end with a disc-shapedhead portion 52 which has an increased diameter relative to the diameterof the bore 44 and which in the proper fixing position of the retainingpart 36 rests on the upper face of the flange portion 38. It can be seenespecially in FIGS. 9 and 10 that the disc-shaped head portion 52 hastwo regions with different radii, so that between these two regionstransition surfaces 54 are formed which in co-operation with projections56 projecting upwards from the flange portion 38 form stops whichdelimit the possible rotation of the clamping element to an angle whichis just sufficient in order to rotate the shank 46 out of the positionaligned with the end face 24 a into a position in which thecircumferential wall of the shank 46 adjoining the flat area 50 rests onthe end face 24 a. For the rotation of the clamping element 48 across-slot 57 into which the actuating end of the shank of a Phillipsscrewdriver can be inserted is provided in the upwardly directed freeend face of the disc-shaped head portion 52 of the clamping element 48.

It can also be seen in FIGS. 8 and 10 that in the free end region of theshank 46 of the clamping element 48 in the region of the circumferentialsurface of the shank 46 opposite the flat area 50 a low radial 58projection is provided with which are associated curved low recesses 60in the boundary wall of the strip-shaped projection 40 facing the shank46. In the insertion position of the clamping element 48 into the bores.44 the projection 58 engages in the recess 60 and thereby secures theclamping element against withdrawal from the bore 44.

Two walls 62 which are spaced from one another project from the flangeportion at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the groove, andbetween these walls the wing-like ends of the hinge linkages 32, 34 arein each case guided and pivotably mounted there on bearing lugs, theends of which are retained in bores 64, 66 in the walls 62.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, on the vertical boundary surfaces of the walls 62lying on the right in each case short projections 68 which can beadditionally provided are indicated which in the proper locking positionof the retaining part 36 in the groove 20 engage in a groove 70 in thefacing inner face of the frame part and thus effect additional lockingof the retaining part in the disassembly direction.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 an embodiment of the fixing arrangement according tothe invention is shown in which the fitting to be fixed is not a linkagehinge of the type described above which enables the pivoting of a doorleaf 12 but a corner connector 36′ with which two frame sections 16which meet at right angles can be releasably connected to one another ina miter joint.

The flange portion 38 of the previously described embodiment is composedhere of two flange elements 38 a, 38 b which are connected integrally toone another and extend at right angles to one another, and which in eachcase are provided with a strip-like projection 40 projecting from theunderside thereof and a locking tab 42 which—corresponding to the flangeelements 38 a, 38 b—extend at right angles to one another. The shank ofat least one clamping element 48 of the type already described isrotatably mounted in each of the flange elements, but instead of therecess 57 for application of a tool a lever arm 57′ is provided whichprojects radially from the end face of the clamping element and enablesthe rotation of the clamping elements 48 manually without a tool.

It can be seen that modifications and variants of the describedembodiments of the fixing arrangement according to the invention can berealized within the scope of the idea of the invention. Instead of beingconstructed as a linkage hinge or as a corner connector for two framesections to be connected at right angles, the fitting can also beconstructed as a fitting for connection of furniture parts which meet atright angles, one of which is provided with a frame section of the typeunder consideration here. Also its use as a compartment base supportwhich can be adjusted gradually in the longitudinal direction of thegroove is readily conceivable. All that is essential to the invention isthat a retaining part which can be loosely inserted into the groove 20with the narrowed opening region can be moved by a clamping elementrotatably mounted in it into a locking position in which the retainingpart is locked positively without play in the groove.

1. A furniture fitting, comprising a retaining pail (36), a clampingelement (48), a frame section (16) having a groove (20) defined thereinextending in a longitudinal direction, the frame section for receivingthe retaining part (36), the groove (20) is narrowed by two parallelshoulders (22 a, 22 b), each shoulder having an end face (24 a, 24 b)facing one another, the retaining part (36) has an integral flangeportion (38) supported by the shoulders (22 a, 22 b), the retaining part(36) has a bore (44) defined therein for receiving the clamping element(48), the clamping element (48) having a shank (46) which extends intothe groove (20) to releasably attach the retaining part (36) to theframe section (16), when released the retaining part (36) beinglongitudinally displaceable along the groove (20), and wherein theretaining part (36) has adjacent to the bore (44) a strip-shapedprojection (40) protruding substantially perpendicularly from a firstsurface of the flange portion (38) and a locking tab (42) extending intothe groove (20), one of the shoulders (22 a, 22 b) being receivedbetween the first surface of the flange portion (38) and the locking tab(42), and wherein the shank (46) is mounted so as to pivot in the bore(44) in the flange portion (38), the dimensions of the strip-shapedprojection (40) and the shank (46) together as measured above thelocking tab (42) is essentially equal to a distance between the endfaces (24 a, 24 b) of the shoulders (22 a, 22 b), and wherein the shank(46) has, in an area defined between the end faces (24 a, 24 b) of theshoulders (22 a, 22 b), a flat surface (50) which reduces a diameter ofthe shank (46) by at least an amount by which the locking tab (42)protrudes from the strip-shaped projection (40) towards the one of theshoulders, and a pair of walls (62) offset from one another andextending substantially perpendicularly relative to a second surface ofthe flange portion (38) of the retaining part (36); between the walls(62) a wing-shaped end of at least one hinge linkage (32, 34) of afurniture hinge (26) is mounted so as to pivot on a bearing lug retainedin at least one bore (64, 66) defined in the walls (62).
 2. Thefurniture fitting according to claim 1, wherein the clamping element(48) includes a disc-shaped head portion (52) having an enlargeddiameter relative to a diameter of the bore (44) defined in the flangeportion (38) of the retaining part (36).
 3. The furniture fittingaccording to claim 2, wherein the disc-shaped head portion (52) has tworegions with different radii, a first region having a maximum radius anda second region having a reduced radius in a circumferential directionover a specified angle range an amount between a radius of the shank(46) and the maximum radius of the disc-shaped head portion (52),transitions surfaces (54) being formed between the regions of themaximum and the reduced radii of the disc-shaped head portion (52); andin an area of the bore (44) that receives the shank (46) of the clampingelement (48), protrusions (56) are provided extending from a secondsurface, opposite that of the first surface, of the flange portion (38)of the retaining part (36); the transition surfaces (54) between theregions of the maximum and the minimum reduced radii of the disc-shapedhead portion (52) contacting the protrusions (56) when the clampingelement (48) is rotated.
 4. The furniture fitting according to claim 1,wherein the clamping element (48) has a recess (57) defined in an endsurface.
 5. The furniture fitting according to claim 1, wherein a handle(57′) is provided at an outer end of the clamping element (48).
 6. Thefurniture fitting according to claim 1, wherein a radial projection (58)extends from a circumferential surface of the shank (46) disposed so asto be received within a curved recess (60) defined in the strip-shapedprojection (40) of the retaining pail (36) facing the shank (46).
 7. Thefurniture fitting according to claim 6, wherein the radial projection(58) is disposed in a circumferential area of the shank (46) of theclamping element (48) that is diametrically opposite the flat surface(50) of the shank (46).
 8. The furniture fitting according to claim 1,wherein between the walls (62) of the retaining part (36), a first endof each of two hinge linkages (32, 34) of a multi-linkage hinge (26) aremounted so as to pivot, a second end opposite the first end of each ofthe two hinge linkages (32, 34) are articulated on a bracket (28)configured to attach to a bearing wall of a body of a piece offurniture.
 9. The furniture fitting according to claim 1, furthercomprising a protuberance (68) extending from the flange portion (38)and disposed above the second surface of the flange portion (38) isreceived within a complementary shaped groove (70) defined in the framesection (16).